From fields of war to fields of crops: The Davis, California-based Farmer Veteran Coalition put on a job fair in southern California last week, giving veterans a chance to learn about potential careers in the food and farming business. One of the exhibitors was Marine veteran Colin Archipley, who currently runs Archi's Acres in San Diego County and is one of the founder of Veterans Sustainable Agriculture Training. The interviewees argue that farming can be an ideal occupation for many veterans, as they are accustomed to working long hours outside, the occupation taps into their drive to serve, it can help build connections to their community, and can help heal the wounds of war. One veteran says that "It's meditational in some ways...You get to shut down the noise in your life." Michael O'Gorman, executive director of the Farmer Veteran Coalition, sees returning veterans as a potential new generation of farmers that help preserve small family farms. (Los Angeles Times)
See also: a previous story about the Farmer Veteran Coalition at the Ethicurean

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One Responseto “Helping veterans become farmers”

If you are a farmer/agriculturalist who might have a job for an interested veteran in the general area of California, you should definitely list your position with the FVC, and if you're part of any organization that is putting on educational programming for farmers/would-be farmers, consider inviting a speaker from the FVC and then doing a lot of outreach to your local veterans' organizations. We had a speaker come to Shasta County in March, and he was wonderful. Now our VA clinic knows about the FVC, and is really supportive.